Baxter’s defence of charity against George Morley

Archive Unit
  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 123 DWL/RB/1/248
  • Former Reference
      GB 123 Treatises vi.202 Treatises vi.8
  • Dates of Creation
      1662 ?
  • Physical Description
      ff 206-277 f 206v, f 207v, f 211*v, ff 214-216, f 224*r, f 229v, ff 246-255 and f 256r are blank 295 x 200 mm.

Scope and Content

Baxter’s defense of himself and his brethren against the accusations of George Morley. Printed letter. The title page is superscribed ‘II’. It is followed by ‘The Prologue’; then comes this heading, with three double crosses over it: ‘A true & full Account of the Matters of fact which are necessary to be knowne for the right understanding of the Accusation & Defense: (forbearing the publication of the rest of the History of that Treaty, Disputations and Conference with the Right Reverend Bishops. As that which is supposed would be displeasing, to which I have no call.)’ (f 208r). The crosses refer to the passage at f 256v. The first part seems to begin with this heading at f 217r, ‘An Answere to the Lord Bishop of Worcesters Letter.’ Here, in the margin, Baxter says: ‘This was written before I was silenced, at London 1662,’ A long extract from Bp. Bilson, at ff 243-244, seems to be in the handwriting of Mrs. Baxter. ‘The work seems to end at the bottom of f 277r, and the four lines on the next page seem to be an imperfect postscript. On f243 the handwriting seems to change.

Includes: 'The Prologue. I have long thought that it is a more safe & easie & desirable state, to be governed than to governe,’

Note

Argent notes: 'George Morley’s The Bishop of Worcester’s letter to a friend for vindication of himself from Mr. Baxter’s calumny (1662) was a reply to Richard Baxter’s The mischiefs of self-ignorance, and the benefits of self-acquintance (1662). The latter (sermons preached at St Dunstan in the West, Fleet Street, London) contained a preface, addressed to the people of Kidderminster, which set out the reasons for his not being allowed by the bishop to preach at Kidderminster. It also touched on the Savoy Conference called to settle the Church of Rngland after the Restoration'

'Against Baxter’s wishes, Edward Bagshaw intervened on Baxter’s behalf in his A letter unto a person of honour and quality, containing some animadversions upon the Bishop of Worcester’s letter (1662). To this Roger L’Estrange replied in A Whipp, a Whipp for the Schismatical Animadverter (1662).

Other Finding Aids

Argent / Black v.202 (also listed as v.8); Thomas p.11

Bibliography

  • For Edward Bagshaw (1629-71) see Corr 692, 829, 841, 842, 843, 861, 873, 888 and ODNB. See also Rel i, 120, i 377, and i 378.
  • Joseph Glanvill’s letter to Baxter in reply to The Bishop of Worcester’s Letter to a friend (1662) is Corr 692. See also Corr 687. For Joseph Glanvill (1636-80) see ODNB Corr 683, 692, 705, 707,.710, 711, 740, 822, 1084, 1091 and 1102.
  • For Thomas Bilson (1547-1616), Bishop of Worcester and later of Winchester, see ODNB and Corr 1199.